Land titles were derived from North Caro lina. Ownership was acquired through military warrants by which the State undertook to pay its soldiers in land, or by purchase, through which means much of the North Carolina paper currency was redeemed. Liberal rights of pre emption were given to squatters. Upon the cession of the Tennessee country to the United States, and the later erection of the State of Tennessee, there arose a long and complicated dispute to which North Carolina, Tennessee and the United States government were parties. This matter of the public lands gravely affected the development of public support of education, internal improvement and banking. In the earlier period speculation in land also was a noteworthy factor.
For many years John Sevier was the most prominent figure in the Stite's life. His in fluence was identified with East Tennessee, the oldest section of the State. As the middle and western parts were settled, Indian wars and national affairs brought into prominence the personality of Andrew Jackson, but when Jack son became President resentment against some of his actions and against his efforts to continue domination over Tennessee politics led to the rise of a vigorous Whig party, which usually prevailed in national elections. From 1835 to 1855 Tennessee was a bitterly contested State. Its relatively large population and the closeness of its vote gave it a prominence in national politics. Hugh Lawson White, John Bell, Andrew J. Donelson were nominees for the Presidency or Vice-Presidency who were un successful. James K Polk was elected Presi dent in 1844, and Andrew Johnson Vice-Presi dent in 1864. The prominence of these, and a host of other men, was due to the fact that Ten nessee in this period constituted a type and was a true representative of the West.
Within the State, matters of internal im provement, especially railroads, banking, edu cation, were prominent in political discussion. The State was almost entirely agricultural, the population of the towns being relatively very small. Slavery existed all over the State. In East Tennessee, however, there arose a de cided anti-slavery movement which ran its course when the most active opponents of the system emigrated from the State. Physical differences left a positive stamp upon the atti tude of the different parts of the State toward slavery. East Tennessee had relatively few slaves: the western district, on the contrary, developed like Mississippi. Sentiment in the State was conservative and devoted to the Union. Secession was refused by popular vote until after Lincoln's call for troops; then a fever of sympathy with the States of the South swept over Tennessee with the exception of the eastern region where Andrew Johnson and William G. ("Parsons) Brownlow,. always hitherto the bitterest political enemies, now joined in support of the Union. The course of military events soon led to the domination of East Tennessee, strongly Unionist in sym pathy, by Confederate forces who kept open the line of communication from the Southwest to Richmond, while the Federal successes at Fort Pillow and Fort Donelson threw Middle and West Tennessee into the possession of the Fed eral authorities under whom Andrew Johnson was appointed governor. The regime of Union
ist East Tennessee was perpetuated after the war in the administration of Governor Brown low, which was characterized by enormous addi tions to the State debt and by rigorous repres sion of those formerly in control of the politi cal affairs of the State. This state of affairs did not come to an end until 1870, when the Democratic party again came into control. Since then Republican East Tennessee has been dominated by the Democratic remainder of the State, except when some particular question such as the settlement of the State debt or the establishment of State-wide prohibition have divided the Democratic party and brought about the election of a Republican governor. In politics, in recent years, the prohibition question has had first place, and other matters have not received due attention. The consti tution has not been amended since 1870. A notable advance was made, however, in the field of public education with the establishment of a system of county high schools and State normal schools., State there are 1,081,290 females and 1,103,491 males. The total voting population is 552,668, 78 per cent being white. The total number of children of school age (6 to 20 years) is 738, 478. The total number of illiterates in the State (over 10 years) is 221,071, representing 13.6 per cent of the total population, as com pared to 20.7 per cent in 1900. The total num ber of dwellings in Tennessee is 444,814. Total number of families, 462,553. Average number per family, 4.7.
Immigrants to the State are heartily welcomed with that geniality and hos pitality which the new South has inherited from the old. Tennessee is not dominated by the arrogance of wealth, neither is it overbalanced by its city population. Prejudice of the coun try against the town or of town against country is a thing of the past. The numerous commer cial organizations offer inducements to capital with the assurance that though a stone wall might be built about the State, yet its resources are so great and diversified that even then 10 times its present population would have avail able every necessity,. every comfort and every luxury. In conclusion, it may be said truly that Tennessee is large in area, in wealth, in industries and truly magnificent in its possibili ties, and the day for indulging provincialism is forever gone.
Tennessee has a population of 2,184789 (census 1910). The government figures show that of this population about 80 per cent are of the farming class. Density of population, 52.4 per square mile. Of the entire population of the State, 20 per cent reside in the cities of 2,500 and upward. Of the total popu lation 78.3 per cent are white and 21.7 per cent negroes. In the total population of the